America’s Wealthy: What Spurs Them to Give
How Wealthy Differ From Other Americans in Giving
What Matters Most in Deciding Where to Give
Basic needs
30.9%
84.8%
Education
14.7%
80.1%
Arts
7.8%
71.6%
Religious
43.0%
70.5%
Health
23.0%
70.3%
Youth/family
services
Federated
charities
12.3%
60.9%
26.6%
59.4%
Environment/
animal care
9.5%
54.0%
Other
7.6%
52.5%
International
6.3%
32.0%
All Americans
Foundations,
trusts, and
donor-advised
funds
15.6%
High net-worth
households
Note: Combined organizations include United Way, United Jewish Appeal, or Catholic Charities.
Motivations to Make a Big Gift
Moved at how gift
can make a difference
Feel financially secure
Giving to an efficient
organization*
66.9%
72.4%
65.3%
71.2%
71.0%
Support same organizations/
causes annually
70.7%
65.9%
Give back to community
81.2%
Political/philosophical beliefs
64.7%
58.5%
52.1%
Volunteer for
the organization*
51.9%
Give spontaneously
to support a need*
Remedy issues affecting
me personally
Religious beliefs
Being asked
Set example
for young people
Further legacy of parents
47.1%
57.5%
43.8%
51.0%
38.8%
48.1%
31.1%
27.1%
18.2%
19.7%
45.6%
Other (e.g., social beliefs)*
19.6%
2007
Business interests
5.3%
4.9%
2009
Why Affluent Donors Stopped Supporting a Group
Too frequent solicitation/
asked for inappropriate amount
Decided to support
other causes
58.9%
34.2%
Household circumstances
changed
29.4%
Organization changed
leadership or activities
29.1%
No longer involved
with organization
11.7%
Program/purpose completed
10.4%
Inaccurate recordkeeping
of information
10.4%
* This question was not asked in 2007
Demonstrate sound
business practices
Send receipt
93.0%
86.9%
83.7%
84.9%
Do not distribute name
Spend appropriate amount
on overhead
Honor anonymity
82.7%
80.1%
88.3%
80.1%
62.7%
77.4%
Honor request for use of gift
Provide full financial
disclosure
Send thank-you note
Do not ask for more
than can give
Provide nothing in return
Provide information about
organization’s effectiveness*
65.2%
69.3%
77.7%
61.7%
57.0%
53.0%
42.6%
42.6%
33.1%
40.4%
40.4%
Provide ongoing
communication
54.9%
Communicate impact of gift
35.8%
42.0%
28.5%
Provide access to
organization or personnel
64.6%
Offer involvement
with organization
20.5%
16.0%
5.5%
2007
2009
How Wealthy Would Change Giving Patterns if Donations Were Not Tax-Deductible
60
52.5% 51.7%
2005
48.3%
40
2007
39.6%
37.0%
2009
32.6%
20
18.7%
7.0%
10.0%
0
Dramatically
decrease
Somewhat
decrease
Stay the same
Note: Percentage of people who would somewhat or dramatically increase less than 1.0% in each year.
People and Institutions the Wealthy Believe Can Solve Problems
38.9%
Individuals
50.2%
10.9%
36.3%
Nonprofit organizations
58.2%
Small to midsize
businesses
5.5%
14.3%
57.6%
28.2%
9.9%
Corporations
58.5%
31.6%
9.1%
Federal government
49.0%
41.9%
State or local
government
2.4%
52.1%
45.5%
2.1%
Congress
29.9%
68.1%
Great deal of confidence
Some confidence
Hardly any confidence
SOURCE: Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy
Publication: PHL
SP
